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"You are so glossy, Aret you an evilYou want an evil h trying to peer into s

"Benji," I said, "don't come any closer Sybelle, take him away "

"But what did I do?"

"Nothing," she said She dropped her voice, and said desperately, "He's hungry "

"Lift the covers off again, will you do that?" I asked "Lift them off and look at me and let me look into your eyes, and let that be my mirror I want to see how very bad it is "

"Hmmm, Ar "

Sybelle bent down and with her two careful hands peeled the cover back and down, exposing the length of my body

I went into her mind

It orse than I had ever iined

The glossy horror of a bog corpse, as Benji had said, was

perfectly true, save for the horror of the fall head of red-brown hair and huge, lidless bright brown eyes, and the white teeth arrayed perfectly below and above lips that had shriveled to nothing Down the tightly drarinkled black leather of the face were heavy red streaks of blood that had been my tears

I whipped my head to the side and deep into the downy pillow I felt the covers come up over me

"This cannot go on for you, even if it could go on for me," I said "It's not what I would have you see another er you live with this, theNo It cannot continue "

"Anything," Sybelle said She crouched down beside entle if I touch your hair?"

I looked at her from one narrow-slitted eye